As person who has begun re-attending church for about a year, after a long break, it is my observation that most 'men-of-the-cloth are more interested in 'herd management' than preaching the Word and the attendent development of conscience and individuation.
Keep the faith, brother. History, Natural Law, Scripture, and God are with you (rather, you are with them). Most likely your church has its roots in the Protestant Reformation. Protestantism survived and flourished only because of the willingess of the believers to take up arms in defense of their faith and church. This is historical fact that is being eradicated by the Marxist-secular onslaught for the revisioning of history.
Wars fought by Protestants for the defense of the faith:
The Revolution of the United Provinces against Spain (almost 100 years).
The Thirty Years War in The Holy Roman Empire.
The English Revolution of 1642-8 and subsequent bloodless Glorious Revolution.
The American Revolution (as shown by Kevin Phillips in his book The Cousin's Wars this was a sort of English Revolution re-match)
The American Civil War (again, read The Cousin's Wars, round III).
Forgotten heroes that helped to establish our modern liberties and freedom of worship: Gustavus Adolphus, Oliver Cromwell, Prince William of Orange, and many many dead forgotten Dutch, Swedish, German, English, Scottish, etc. commoners. The RKBA is a battlement of our mighty fortress.
Let me be clear. Up until the Satanic Unleashing of the Sixties Protestantism and firearms ownership were virtually synonomous. Read the English Bill of Rights of 1689! History cannot be denied.
I appreciate your struggle, sir. Even for me, a Mensan, son of colonel, student of history, and priviliged white-boy discovering and understanding this eradicated history took a lot of reading, intellectual mining, and reflection on history. As an African-American you are at even greater remove from discovering that the laudatory history of ARMED and FIGHTING Protestantism is YOUR legacy too! It is the blessed legacy of all who keep the faith and values of America-the armed and free. YOU ARE ONE IN THE BODY WITH CHRIST AND HIS BATTLING EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN SERVANTS-BOTH ALIVE AND LONG FORGOTTEN!
And, blessedly, you are not just the fortunate son of history, but having been blessed with grace you are as His child and inheritor.
I wish you the best in educating your fellow clergy and congregation. I personally try to invite someone every week to shoot trap/skeet after church. Now the weather is cooler, there are some takers. A little at a time, the sheep are coming back in the fold
